The invention relates to window shades for automotive vehicle windows.
A window shade as replacement for a tiltable sun visor on windshields is known from DE 28 15 821 A1. A windup roller, which is rotatably seated in the roof ahead of the steel sliding roof is a part of the window shade, on which an edge of a window shade web is fastened. The width of the window shade web corresponds to the width of the customary tiltable sun visors, i.e. the width is less than the width of the windshield.
The window shade web is provided with a stiffening rod on its edge remote from windup roller. Contact pads and handles also are provided on the stiffening rod for supporting the front edge of the window shade web on the inside of the window and for moving the window shade web.
A spring strap, which is rigidly connected with one end of the stiffening rod, is provided for maintaining the window shade web in its pull-out position and also for pressing the front edge against the window. The spring strap runs through a slit in the front edge of the roof, through which the window shade web also exits, and is retracted into the roof interior. There, the spring strap is guided into two stationary positions, which are distanced from each other. Guidance is provided with the aid of elongated holes in the spring strap and corresponding bolts or pins anchored in the roof.
For extracting such sun visor, the user must grasp the handles on the stiffening rod and pull the window shade web out to the desired height. Because of the friction of the spring strap in the guides, it is braked by friction in the position selected by the user, so that the spring provided in the windup roller, which acts in the direction of rolling the window shade web up, does not initially retract the window shade web into the roof.
For retracting the sun visor, the user must push the spring strap back into the roof with the aid of the handles on the stiffening rod, wherein the spring of the windup roller simultaneously causes the windup roller to rotate in the direction of winding the window shade web up.
Based on the foregoing, it is the object of the invention to produce a vehicle with a protective sun shade or window shade, which can be remote-controlled, and whose essential parts are housed in the roof, or to provide a protective sun shade or window shade, which can be remotely controlled and is arranged for the greater part in the roof of a motor vehicle.
Generally, the roof of motor vehicles consists of an outer roof skin, which is a component of the unfinished body, and the headliner, by means of which the stiffening structures of the body in the area of the roof are visually concealed. With the novel window shade, this roof interior is used for housing all essential mechanical parts of the window shade. In particular, a mechanical drive is provided there which makes it possible to extend and retract the window shade by remote control. For example, in this way the driver can operate a window shade which he cannot reach.
A significant advantage of the novel arrangement is that the outlet slit for the window shade is located in the upper part of the vehicle so that there is no danger that any objects of the device could accidentally fall through the slit. Such danger does exist in vehicles with protective window shades or rear window shades which have been installed in the rear window shelf or under it. In that case, the outlet slit opens toward the top so that objects can easily fall through the slit. Moreover, with the protective window shade in accordance with the invention, a cover rail for the outlet slit is not necessarily required.
Because the lower edge of the shade or the front edge which is in the lead when it exits, comes from above, a particularly good shading effect is achieved in the vehicle. Because the bothersome sun beams come from above, the shading effect is most efficient when it is possible to shade the upper portion of the window. The lower portion of the window can remain open, which improves the view through the respective window in comparison with a window shade which comes from below and must always be completely extended, even if shading is only required in the upper window area.
With the window shade arrangement of the invention, the roof of the vehicle is dimensionally stable. It can be an integral part of the unfinished body, but can also be a hardtop that can be removed from the lower portion of the body. Because of being housed in the top, the window shade solution is particularly suited for sporty vehicles with hardtops.
The window, which can be shaded by means of the protective window shade in accordance with the invention, is preferably a rear window, because a large amount of light which leads to strong heating reaches the passenger compartment even when the sun is at an acute angle. With the novel solution, the rear window pane need not necessarily be rigidly and solidly connected with the roof. For example, it can also be a rear window located in a tailgate of a station wagon or all-terrain vehicle. Other windows with which the novel protective window shade can be employed are the front windshield in replacement of a conventional tiltable sun visor, and side windows, which are stationary, as well as side windows on side doors.
The window shade web can be made of a material which inherently is sufficiently stiff for pushing, or alternatively, of a comparatively thin foil that can, be rolled up with a small radius. A window shade web, inherently sufficiently stiff for pushing, offers the advantage that it requires neither pushing members visible from the outside, nor a windup roller, but can be housed in the roof interior in the stretched out state. With a slight curvature of the roof in a direction transverse to the window shade web, a windup roller on which the window shade web is to be wound is suitable. In that case, little space is required in the roof in the movement direction of the window shade web.
Another variation, which is useable with a roof having a significant curvature is a window shade web provided with pulling means at the rear edge, i.e. the edge which always remains in the roof, and which are separately wound on windup disks spaced apart from each other. The solution with windup disks can also be used in case a straight windup roller of sufficient width could not be housed in the roof interior because of the significant curvature of the headliner. Finally, the window shade web may be folded with an accordion fold and housed in a box or component.
Sagging of a soft and thin window shade web also can be prevented if the window shade web is stiffened over its width by means of hoops.
Since modem vehicle body shapes customarily have a considerable taper in the roof area, the windows are unavoidably narrower in the vicinity of the roof edge than in the area of the lower edge. To achieve a maximum shading effect, the pattern of the window shade web is preferably rectangular and of a width corresponding to the narrowest width of the window.
The windup roller, or the windup disks, of the protective window shades can be prestressed in the winding direction by means of a spring drive, or can be driven with the aid of the electric motor.
To move the front edge of window shade webs which are not inherently sufficiently stiff to be pushed, at least one pushing member can be provided, which acts on the front edge. The pushing member has sufficient flexural strength, at least in the area in which it is pushed forward out of the outlet slit, to support the window shade web without guide rails. The pushing member is either driven by the electric motor or by a spring acting in the outlet direction when the windup roller, or the windup disks, are being electrically driven.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, in which: